Underwater Paradise
by Athena's Heart
Summary: Tony shows Pepper a place all their own. Pepperony One-Shot


A/N: So this was developed on an idea using the phrase, "I'm not scared, I'm just rationally concerned, thought it evolved into this. It's just a cutesy one-shot.

Also, I know it may not flow too well. I just had to get this story out :)

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The day had started as any other. Pepper Potts had arrived to work at her regular time, 7:30 am, to find Tony, unsurprisingly, working on his suit. He seemed to have made a huge upgrade, as he tried to explain it to her upon her arrival. He went on a tangent about flight stimulators or something another, trying to explain an equation he came up with for something.

Virginia "Pepper" Potts may have been an above average accountant, personal assistant, CEO, and more, but she was NOT a physicist or a scientist. Her job was to get him to sign the papers. Though she may have deviated beyond her requirement, having him sign his papers was her primary goal.

"Tony, I'm sorry but I am not going to understand what you are talking about. We don't all have above average IQ's" she said with a smile, sorry she had to ruin his enthusiasm.

His excitement seemed to die down as he realized she had come to discuss business. "Very well Miss. Potts, what can I do for you?" he asked. His tone suggested he was playing along, but she noticed the twinge of hurt in his voice from her interruption.

She leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss, "Sorry, Tony, but I need these papers signed for the board meeting at nine," A mischievous grin took over his face, and she raised her left eyebrow, "What are you thinking, Stark?"

"What am I going to get out of this deal?" He asked.

Pepper rolled her eyes, "A successful business, Tony. I am not going to reward you for doing something you are supposed to be doing anyway!"

"But I've got a brilliant idea. I want to take you on a date tonight. I haven't taken you out for AGES!" he exclaimed, giving her the puppy eyes, before spinning in his chair at the word 'ages'.

She couldn't help but smile at his antics, "Tony, you took me out last week. And besides, we have a deal. Business first, Relationship second,"

Tony frowned, "For now at least," he mumbled, before speaking up, "But it's a Friday, Pep. Lets go out tonight. It'll be fun!"

Pepper didn't answer, opting instead to stare at her PDA. Tony was about to grab the damn thing when she responded, "Alright, Tony. We'll go out tonight. But first you need to sign paperwork. And there's a lot of it," she said, turning on her heels to head upstairs to get the other paperwork no doubt.

"FINE! BUT YOU HAVE TO STAY DOWN HERE WITH ME!" He shouted up the stairs. He was surprised when she yelled back.

"ALRIGHT! BUT DON'T TRY ANYTHING OR THE DEAL'S OFF AND YOU STILL JAVE TO SIGN THE PAPERWORK" her voice traveled back to him, albeit faintly.

A minute later she returned with a hefty looking stack of papers and Tony's jaw dropped, "What the hell?"

She grinned, "Make up work, Tony. I've been so busy lately with meetings and the whole Expo fiasco, that I'd forgotten about YOUR paperwork"

He groaned loudly, but picked up his pen. He'd been trying to get her to agree to move in with him, and he knew a good tactic was doing what he was told. He was aware of her reasoning, but he didn't have to like it.

An hour later, Pepper left for her full day of meetings, while Tony hooked up the machine he made near seven years earlier that would sign his papers for him. He kept it a secret because he knew, even seven years earlier when she cared less, she wouldn't be too keen on the idea of a machine signing his papers, despite the fact her had programmed Jarvis to proof read just in case.

He spent most of the day planning their night out. He reserved seats at her favorite Italian restaurant, a little mom and pop restaurant that had ensured him a private booth, and the play she'd wanted to see that was going to be performed by a local troop. The hard part, and possibly a bad idea part, was figuring out how to get her to agree to let him fly her to the little island just further over the horizon from where his home overlooked the ocean.

He created it for them. It was actually underwater; a little hide away untraceable, even by the military, Rhodey ensured him. Tony knew how Pepper wasn't a fan of flying, but he knew she hated the paparazzi more. He planned to buy a little boat later, but he really wanted to fly her through the entrance of their private place.

After pondering a while, looking at the situation everyway possible, he determined the only way to get her in the air was to swoop in, pick her up, and fly her over. With his progress earlier that day, he'd even be able to do it without his suit. Rockets in just his shoes were risky, but it didn't take long for him to come up with a solution, and he had mastered steering quickly after.

When Pepper came home, he told her the plan, suggesting she dress down for the occasion, leaving out the whole flying to a secret under water base. He wore a black button down shirt and black slacks, while she wore a t-shirt, a nice jacket, and khakis.

The whole evening went according to plan. The food was, as always, excellent, the play was well done, and he could tell Pepper had enjoyed it. Her smiling face gave him the courage to pick her up, bridal style, activate the mini- reactor rockets, sending them shooting into the sky.

On the whole he wasn't surprised when she screamed, but he was surprised at the pitch of her scream.

"ANTHONY STARK! RETURN US TO THE GROUND THIS MINUTE!" shrieked Pepper, hiding her face as Tony fly high above California.

"Calm down Pepper! I got this. Don't be scared!" he said, looking at her as they glided through the sky towards the base.

Her head snapped up to stare at him, a fire in her eyes, "I am NOT scared," she spoke slowly, but firmly over the noise from the wind. When she seemed to remember she was in mid air she hid her face again mumbling, "I'm merely rationally concerned,"

Tony chuckled at her reasoning, noticing her cheeks flush in the light of his arc reactor, "Well, you don't have to be that either. All I need is my Pepper and her trust,"

He could feel her smile against his shirt, but she didn't move, clinging tightly to his neck. She trusted him, but she couldn't help but be terrified.

When they landed after a short five-minute flight, Pepper finally relaxed her grip. It was then Tony noticed her shivering. The island itself was barely more than a bit of sand above sea level. In fact, it could hardly be called an island. Pepper peeked a look at their landing spot as she held herself closer to the warmth of his body.

Tony slipped a small remote from his pocket and pressed the lone red button. Immediately, a door rose out of the water a few feet in front of them. Tony, still holding Pepper typed in a code, and the door opened, revealing a glass staircase, designed in a way that they could see the water around them.

At the bottom, he typed in another code, and a large metal door swung open, showing a large room, akin to a living room, fully stocked with furniture, a TV, tables pictures. It had a homey feel to it. She could see a hallway at the end of the room leading to several more rooms, she assumed. The most amazing thing, though, was that all of the walls were made of glass, allowing them to see the ocean around them.

"I had this made for us. It's just a little place where we can go and not be bothered by the real world, y'know" he said, kissing her forehead softly.

She wiggled slightly and he let her down, "This is amazing. Its like an under water castle! Can people see in here?" she asked, gently placing her had on the cool glass.

Tony shook his head, "No. It's completely invisible. In fact, when a fish or thing gets within two feet of the wall, the immediately end up on the other side of us, as if they had swum right through us but didn't," He took her hand and led her to the main couch which was positioned so the occupants looked out the wall, showing a school of fish and other sea life. "There's a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom in case we just need a break and just want to get away. I'm planning on installing a transport pad. The technology is there, essentially the short distance transferors, but that technology is only in its infant stages, spanning terribly short distances, so I have a boat that can be used since I know you're not keen on flying" he said, sitting her down, and taking a seat next to her.

She curled up into his side, "This is wonderful, Tony," she reached up, pulling his face in for a kiss.

They remained curled up on the couch, looking out at the sea, until Pepper fell asleep. Tony watched her sleep for a while, before falling asleep himself, a smile on his face.

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A/N: Hope you liked it. Drop a review if you've got a moment!


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